Nagpur: “Inclusive Development” is today’s key issue across the Globe. In Today’s Society the gaps between “haves” and “have nots” are rapidly increasing. To reduce these gaps multidimensional efforts are going on. Providing educational opportunities is one such dimension. Through education prosperity of the individual and society are anticipated.
Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (CEMCA), New Delhi UNESCO and Jawaharlal Nehru University organized a 2 days National Consultation on “Open Educational Resources (OER) for Inclusive Development – Identifying challenges, addressing opportunities” at New Delhi recently. Regional Director of IGNOU Regional Centre Nagpur Dr. P. Sivaswaroop was also invited to share his experiential inputs in skill development. Around 100 participants from various reputed national institutes and international (through video conferencing) presentations were made.
Dr. Ramesh Sharma, Director, CEMCA in his welcome address said that the Open Educational Resources are aimed at inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all. Shigeru Aoyagi, Director of UNESCO said that UNESCO has been striving for equity, equality and inclusiveness in education through OER. Chairman of National Council for Teachers Education (NCTE) Prof. Santosh Panda said that OER’s be blended with regular curriculum. Former Director, NAAC Prof. V. S. Prasad, said that the National Education Policy should include OER strategy also.
Today’s Rate
Monday 07 Oct. 2024
Dr. P. Sivaswaroop in his presentation explained the various vocational skill development activities undertaken in Gadchiroli, Yerla Village and for Nagpur Central Jail Prisoners. He explained in detail about the stepwise approach of initiating with general education through distance mode to this deprived sections of the society. Later, while introducing them to the vocational skill development courses. It was a blended approach with theory and on hand practical experience at the local hospital and bakery/welding workshop in the Jail. His presentation was well appreciated as it included the inclusiveness of open education. He emphasized that appropriate blended approach for skills training along with mobile based learning are useful for remote places.
The other participants include Dr. Bablu Sutradhar, Librarian, IIT Kharagpur, spoke on National Digital Library. Dr. Amarendra Prasad Behera, NCERT, spoke on e-Pathshala, Prof. V. Venkaiah, Former Vice Chancellor, Krishna University etc. There were discussions on institutional OER policies, role of digital libraries in OER, OER for persons with disability, quality of OER. The 2-day session ended with action based recommendations on each theme.
